Read Philippians 4
As we approach this last chapter in Paul’s letter to the church of Philippi, we see him emphasize what he wants the Philippians to walk away with, standing firm in the faith. Paul began the letter with the encouragement to be joyful because “He who began a good work in you will complete it…” (Phil 1:6). God began the work of salvation and He will continue working on His people until He returns and makes all things new.
This truth needs to undergird our lives and our worldview. Only in being established in Jesus Christ will we understand the fullness of life (John 10:10) and the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus (Phil 3:7-8).
This fourth chapter is about standing firm and living out our faith. Paul starts this section by exhorting to sisters in the church to agree in the Lord. I find it interesting he moves from:
Philippians 4:1
Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
To addressing conflict. Not only does he address conflict, but he names names. These two ladies have their names in the New Testament as examples to us, and Paul deals with it masterfully.
Failing to Stand Firm – Philippians 4:2-3
Several years ago, a friend asked me to proof read a letter they had written to friend from church whom they had a sharp disagreement over. I read the letter and saw that this person had made their position very clear, but was very heavy handed.
I asked, “what is the goal of your letter? Do you want to continue your conversation with them and deepen your friendship, or would you prefer to end your friendship and “win” the argument, which might result in them leaving the church?” In order to continue the conversation and preserve the friendship, the entire letter had to be rewritten. And praise God it was.
As an aside, that is a good practice, to write out the letter you want to send, wait 24 hours and/or have someone else read it, before sending it. Watch at how much you change in 24 hours.
The letter changed from “winning an argument” to “preserving a relationship.” There is a fair way to disagree and process conflicts, and there are unfair ways. Paul gives us a few helpful tips on handling conflict:
Paul acknowledges there is a disagreement between two faithful Christian sisters. He recognizes their partnership in the ministry and how they have worked side by side with him. He acknowledges their genuine faith and he pleads for unity and resolution. He even asks a “true companion” to help guide them to that end.
The true companion would have been a leader or pastor in the church of Philippi. Someone who could graciously facilitate helpful conversations between the two. It is important to remember the important things first, who are we arguing with, what is our relationship, and take steps to preserve the relationship. Seeking counsel is a wise thing to do.
Five Practices of Standing Firm – Philippians 4:4-9
Moving on from conflict to giving a pattern for a strong foundation in Christ.
1. Rejoice in the Lord always – 4
Paul again repeats the importance of rejoicing in the Lord. When we focus our attention on Jesus, we will find ways to rejoice, even in the difficult times.
2. Be reasonable – 5
Today more than ever we need reasonable people. One translation uses “gentle” as the word here. In our conversations and our lifestyles, are we reasonable people who are easy to approach and talk to or are we opinionated and difficult.
I strive to be a person who is reasonable and someone people can have a conversation about difficult things with. It started in High School when a buddy of mine had the same belief, but he was very argumentative and opinionated in his delivery. I noticed how he turned people away.
I changed my delivery to seek to serve the person in the conversation, and it opened up doors for me. One day at the lunch table a friend said to him, “I don’t want to talk to you about this, if I want to know more about it I will talk to Brad.” I thanked God for the opportunity to learn at a young age the importance of being reasonable.
3. Don’t be anxious – 6-7
This is a tough one right?! Don’t worry, it’s easier said than done when we are new or out of practice. Our default seems to be worry, it’s a natural response to things. Anxiety issues are on the rise and they are difficult ones to deal with. To not worry is supernatural. It doesn’t come easily but must be accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Remember, “He who began a good work in you will perform it!” When we are tempted, He wants us to take our worries to Him in prayer, making our needs known to Him and thanking Him for His provisions for us. When we ask for His peace, He will give it to us. His peace is active and it will guard our hearts and our minds when we are in Christ Jesus.
4. Think about these things – 8
How can we rejoice always? By filtering our thoughts and influences through the grid of Philippians 4:8. The above picture shows impurities being filtered out of water. We need to filter out the impure thoughts and influences in order for us to think clearly. This means the music we listen to, the movies we watch, the social media personalities we follow, the type of articles, blogs or vlogs we follow. Do they align with this grid?
Do you know what is a complete fulfillment of this grid? Jesus Christ. Jesus is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent and worthy of our praise. Think about Him daily! Spend time with Him! Dwell on His loving kindness and His joy will fill your heart.
5. Practice what you have seen – 9
Paul exhorted the Philippians to look to his example in what he said, how he said it and how he lived. He taught them truth to walk in and gave them a pattern to follow. It’s important that we look to mature believers in our lives, people who demonstrate the Christ centered life and follow their example.
If you know someone that you aspire to be like because you see Christ in them, talk to them about it. Don’t be afraid to ask someone to spend time with you so you can learn from them. This is basic discipleship.
The Power to Stand Firm – Philippians 4:10-23
Paul moves next to a very popular verse, but mostly quoted out of context. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” He is saying that he has learned to stand firm even when he was poor or had hardship and when he had abundance and things were going his way. How? Because he learned to rely fully on Christ for his strength, not his material possessions of the state of his current circumstances.
God promises to give you the power and strength to stand firm when you rely on Him.
Philippians 4:19
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
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